Mega-yacht linked to Putin lost all its workers in walk-off — but a British crew replaced them: report

Labor solidarity in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine is the latest issue raised as western governments target the mega-yachts of Russian oligarchs.

"Russian crew members on a mysterious $700-million luxury yacht that U.S. officials say could be owned by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia abruptly left their jobs and the Tuscan coastal town where it is undergoing repairs a couple of weeks ago amid scrutiny of the vessel, local union leaders and workers say," The New York Times reported Thursday. "Italy’s financial police have been looking into Scheherazade’s ownership for weeks. Italian investigators wouldn’t comment on Thursday, saying that the investigation was continuing."

The newspaper interviewed the local leader of Italy’s General Confederation of Labor trade union.

“They were replaced by a British crew,” Gozzani said. “I don’t know and don’t care whether the yacht is indeed Putin’s or not, but I worry about the repercussions on shipyard workers if police impound or confiscate the vessel.”

The newspaper reported, "Italian authorities have frozen over 800 million euros in assets from Russian oligarchs on the European sanctions list, including villas in Sardinia, Tuscany, Liguria and the Lake Como area, and three yachts."

Read the full report.